Parents can sign up now for the new HENRY group programmes beginning at the start of October.

The programmes, which are taking place at Friars Children’s Centre and Cambridge Road Children’s Centre, are fun and informative, helping make small changes which have a positive impact on improving the lives of children and the family as a whole.

HENRY is a unique and highly successful evidence-based programme which supports families to give their children a healthy start in life, recognising that emotional well-being and confident parenting are just as important for a healthy lifestyle as food and activity.

The HENRY programme can help parents gain confidence, reduce stress at mealtimes, encourage babies and children to eat more healthily and promote a more active lifestyle for the whole family.

The two and a half hour sessions (12.30pm-3pm) will be on Monday afternoons at Friars and Tuesday afternoons at Cambridge Road.

A crèche will be provided for the weekly programmes at both locations, which are running over nine weeks and will finish at the start of December. There will be a week’s break for the school half term. Each week parents will receive free resources, including stickers and story books, so that by the end of the programme, they will have a toolkit to support them going forwards.

Anne Cheeseman, HENRY Regional Manager (South), said: “HENRY is passionate about supporting families to provide a healthy happy start for their children and lay the foundations for a brighter future. We’re really excited to be sharing the programme with more families in Southend and look forward to helping them identify and take small steps towards a healthier lifestyle.”

The programmes are available to children aged under 4 in the ABSS wards.

If you are interested in taking part at Friars or Cambridge Road, or would like to find out more, contact Carole Keep on 07858 294972 or email her at carole.keep@henry.org.uk.